There’s nothing better than a home cooked, delicious lunch amidst a work-laden day at office. We can vouch for that. But we also know how difficult it is to cook fresh food in-between getting out of bed on a winter morning and catching that last fast train to reach office on time. To help you prepare a healthy lunch every day of the week, we bring you seven lunch options that you can cook-up in no time.

Indian salad: Salads are a healthy option because they are stuffed with nutritious veggies, fruits and boiled legumes that impart loads of vitamins and minerals. A big bowl of salads with a mix of your favourite veggies and fruits will not only keep you satiated but also boost your energy levels.

Chappati roll: Chappati rolls are an interesting and easy way of eating your routine sabzi roti. Yes we agree that making chappatis is time-consuming, but if you have some left over rotis from the previous day, all you have to do is cook-up a quick sabzi to go with it and your homemade lunch is ready.

Dal rice: Dal rice is an Indian staple and made in almost every Indian household. A simple dish, dal and rice are a healthy option that doesn’t contain any fatty substances such as oil, ghee, butter or cream. Steamed rice doesn’t take much effort to make and you can try out different dal preparations every day. You can prepare a box full of dal and rice mix and take that to office instead of carrying it differently and fearing a spill. But remember to add more than the normal quantities of dal since it’s bound to dry up after sometime making your lunch lifeless.

Vegetable pulao: A pulao is basically a rice dish prepared with different veggies and spices that makes it tastier. There a number of ways to prepare a pulao but the one with raw veggies and a few spices cooked together is a healthy option for lunch. You can use a variety of vegetables and make a nutritious rice preparation.

Idlis: A South Indian speciality, idlis are now relished by everyone alike. Idlis are made of steamed rice batter. The process of cooking (i.e. steaming) makes idlis a healthy option that is accompanied by coconut chutney. The chutney can be prepared in advance and idlis are the easiest thing to make early morning. Take a box full of idlis to office with some delicious chutney. You can also try tomato ketchup or schezuan sauce if you cannot find the time for coconut chutney. It tastes good with almost anything.

Stuffed parathas: What can be easier than combining your vegetable and roti into one dish. A stuffed paratha is your answer. Roti batter stuffed with varied vegetables spread out to make a paratha. There are a number of parathas that are popularly eaten like aloo parathas, gobi parathas, paneer parathas and mooli (radish) parathas. Not only are they healthy, easy to prepare, and spill-proof, but are also quite filling.

Spicy Indian chicken: Yes, you’re a non-vegetarian and the only thing that keeps your spirits high is a few pieces of lean meat. So, for a protein-rich meal you can sauté some pieces of chicken in Indian spices. Pack these in a box and carry some chutney or sauce if you desire.

There’s nothing better than a home cooked, delicious lunch amidst a work-laden day at office. We can vouch for that. But we also know how difficult it is to cook fresh food in-between getting out of bed on a winter morning and catching that last fast train to reach office on time. To help you prepare a healthy lunch every day of the week, we bring you seven lunch options that you can cook-up in no time.